Monitoring biodiversity is important to determine the effects of management actions and whether these actions need to be modified to achieve goals. This is the basis of adaptive management. Monitoring can compare before and after effects, record changes over time or use paired sites (with and without action) to monitor the effectiveness and impact of management. Stringybark Ecological can design and carry out a biodiversity monitoring program including:

• sampling strategy,
• monitoring methods,
• time between measures,
• data collection and storage,
• evaluation and recommendations for management

We use a number of standard, repeatable and accurate monitoring methods and can choose one appropriate to your needs. Biodiversity monitoring can also be used to assess the presence and severity of threats.

We have experience in biodiversity monitoring to look at changes due to fencing, changes in grazing, weed control and pest animal management in different vegetation communities. We have also monitored

• • the recovery of threatened species,
  • the seed production and regeneration of plant populations,
  • the use of revegetation by particular species,
  • the presence and distribution of brush turkey mounds and
  • the condition and threats of isolated threatened ecological communities

Biodiversity monitoring is a useful tool to assess the effectiveness of incentive and stewardship programs

Post-fire monitoring

Bushfires can have a devastating effect on native ecosystems, including fauna and flora. Fires can also affect revegetation projects, stimulate weed growth and destroy wildlife habitat. However, most Australian ecosystems have some sort of adaptation to fire and can recover.

Stringybark Ecological can monitor the recovery of vegetation after a fire and determine if any active management such as weed control needs to be carried out. Fires sometimes provide an opportunity for changing fence lines, controlling weeds or throwing out some seed to increase species diversity. We can help you plan, implement and monitor post-fire management activities.

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